Forums > Basketball > NBA Dish >
[ESPN] Offseason Report Cards: West
Discussion in 'NBA Dish' started by J.R., Aug 1, 2013.
chandler parsons
daryl morey
donatas motiejunas
phil jackson
summer league
J.R. Contributing Member
Offseason grades for the West
For years, the Western Conference, as a whole, has been uniformly stronger than the East. That trend continued this summer.
On Wednesday we graded out the entire Eastern Conference. With just one "A" and one "A-" it's safe to say that there weren't a lot of teams in the East hitting home runs this summer.
The Western Conference, though, had a much more successful few months. We had one "A+", two "A"s and one "A-" in the West. The rich are, apparently, getting richer.
The grades take into account how each team in the league has performed so far in remaking itself, considering both the opportunities it had and the moves it has made. It takes into consideration the draft, free agency, trades, front office and coaching moves as well as positioning for future drafts and free-agent opportunities.
The grades are not a ranking of which are the best teams in the league, just a device to track which teams have improved or have placed themselves on the fast track to improve and which teams haven't -- both for the upcoming season and beyond.
DALLAS MAVERICKS | GRADE: D+
Additions: Monta Ellis (FA), Jose Calderon (FA), Samuel Dalembert (FA), Brandan Wright (re-sign), Shane Larkin (draft), Ricky Ledo (draft), Devin Harris (FA), Wayne Ellington (FA), Gal Mekel (FA), DeJuan Blair (FA), Bernard James (re-sign)
Subtractions: O.J. Mayo (Bucks), Chris Kaman (Lakers), Darren Collison (Clippers), Elton Brand (Hawks), Anthony Morrow (Pelicans), Josh Akognon (Grizzlies), Nick Calathes (Grizzlies)
Two years ago, Mark Cuban made the unorthodox decision to break up a title team so that the Mavs could dip into the free-agent pool a year later and grab a superstar or two.
But Deron Williams and Chris Paul both re-signed with their respective teams, and Dwight Howard chose the Rockets. So instead of giving Dirk Nowitzki a high-priced running mate, two years later, Dallas ended up with Monta Ellis and Jose Calderon.
Best-laid plans, indeed.
Ellis is a high-volume scorer who can be electric getting to the basket, but lacks efficiency, basketball IQ or a well-rounded game. Like Ellis, Calderon's best days are behind him, and while he understands the game well, his ability to get by anyone or guard anyone has waned significantly. That the Mavs spent $54 million on these two speaks to how desperate they are to be relevant again.
Dalembert was their third big score, and frankly, he may be their best. The 32-year-old is still a force on the defensive end, and two years for $7.4 million was a bargain contract for a big man. The team also re-signed a key reserve in Wright, who shockingly didn't get bigger offers despite being 25 years old and coming off a season in which he had a player efficiency rating (PER) of 21.
Mekel is an NBA-ready prospect who intrigued several teams after a terrific season in Israel. Larkin is a great athlete who can really shoot the basketball (though his lack of size is a question mark). And Ledo has as much raw basketball talent as anyone they acquired, but he will need to make significant improvements in the maturity department if he's going to stick in the league; the Mavs should go find out what the Pacers did with Lance Stephenson and replicate it.
Despite the flurry of deals, the Mavs should have significant cap space next summer assuming Nowitzki is willing to take a big pay cut on his next deal. Perhaps fortunes will turn in 12 months, and the Mavs will land the free-agent stud they've been looking for. If not, this is what they are left with.
DENVER NUGGETS | GRADE: D+
Additions: J.J. Hickson (FA), Darrell Arthur (trade), Nate Robinson (FA), Randy Foye (S&T), Timofey Mozgov (re-sign), Tim Connelly (GM), Brian Shaw (coach)
Subtractions: Andre Iguodala (Warriors), Kosta Koufos (Grizzlies), Corey Brewer (Timberwolves), Julyan Stone (Raptors), Masai Ujiri (GM), George Karl (coach)
A quick first-round exit in the playoffs was just the opening salvo in the Nuggets' horrific summer. Ujiri, fresh off winning Executive of the Year, left for the Raptors after the Nuggets refused to match an offer. His right-hand man, Pete D'Alessandro, left a few weeks later to take the Kings' GM job. Head coach George Karl was fired. And their key summer acquisition of last season, Andre Iguodala, bolted for the Warriors.
So in the space of a few weeks, the Nuggets lost their key architect, their Hall of Fame head coach and their best player. Ugh.
New GM Tim Connelly has since tried to right the ship, but Denver's books have kept his hands relatively tied. So instead of trying to replace Iguodala's leadership, passing and defense, Connelly acquired talented backups in Arthur, Hickson and Robinson to take his minutes.
The Nuggets' best move came on the coaching front with the hiring of Shaw, who figures to become one of the top young coaches in the league. He has huge shoes to fill, but he has the talent to pull together this diverse, starless squad and keep them in the hunt for a playoff seed in the five to eight range.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS | GRADE: A-
Additions: Andre Iguodala (S&T), Jermaine O'Neal (FA), Toney Douglas (FA), Marreese Speights (FA)
Subtractions: Jarrett Jack (Cavaliers), Carl Landry (Kings), Andris Biedrins (Jazz), Richard Jefferson (Jazz), Brandon Rush (Jazz), Scott Machado
The Warriors continue to show what a difference smart ownership and management can make for a team. Golden State has been on a roll ever since owner Joe Lacob took over and revamped the team's front office, and this summer was no different.
Through a series of creative cap maneuvers -- primarily via getting the Jazz to swallow the final years of Biedrins, Jefferson and Rush in exchange for draft picks -- the Warriors were able to address their biggest weakness with the addition of Iguodala. With two gunners in the backcourt and talented scoring options in the frontcourt, Iguodala is the perfect glue guy to hold this team together. The move also strengthened their bench, as Harrison Barnes can now move to a sixth-man role.
The move came at a price, though. The Warriors couldn't afford to keep Jack and Landry, and they gave away two future first-rounders. But they're right in the title conversation now -- a remarkable feat for a team that was still stuck in the lottery last summer.
HOUSTON ROCKETS | GRADE: A
Additions: Dwight Howard (FA), Aaron Brooks (re-sign), Isaiah Canaan (draft), Reggie Williams (FA), Marcus Camby (FA), Omri Casspi (FA), Francisco Garcia (re-signed), Robert Covington (FA), B.J. Young (FA), Kostas Papanikolaou (rights), Marko Todorovic (rights)
Subtractions: Thomas Robinson (Blazers), Carlos Delfino (Bucks), Royce White (76ers), James Anderson (76ers), Tim Ohlbrecht (76ers)
You have to hand it to Les Alexander. Virtually every other owner in the league would've fired Darryl Morey and given up on his Celtics-inspired plan to stockpile middling assets in an effort to land a couple of star players via free agency or trade. For too many years, the Rockets looked like they would tread water forever.
And then, pay dirt.
The Rockets first landed James Harden in a trade last October and then followed it up this summer by scoring Howard's signature. In about nine months, the Rockets went from milquetoast to one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA.
Some of the Rockets' success had to do with luck. Had the Thunder not panicked about their looming luxury tax bill or had the Lakers hired Phil Jackson instead of Mike D'Antoni, Morey is probably looking for a job this summer. They easily could've been in the same predicament as the Mavericks.
But sometimes all it takes a little luck, and right now, the Rockets have it.
None of the rest of the acquisitions inspires much enthusiasm. Canaan was one of the steals of the draft, and I could see him cracking the rotation at some point this season. Williams and Garcia give the Rockets a couple of snipers, Casspi provides toughness off the bench and Camby will be largely serve as a mentor.
There are still holes. I'm not sold on Jeremy Lin as a championship-caliber point guard (though Mario Chalmers didn't stop the Heat), and they still have some question marks at the 4 (Omer Asik? Terrence Jones? Donatas Motiejunas?). But with Harden, Howard and Chandler Parsons leading the way, the Rockets should contend for the Western Conference crown for the next three to four seasons.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS | GRADE: A+
Additions: Chris Paul (re-sign), J.J. Redick (S&T), Jared Dudley (trade), Darren Collison (FA), Matt Barnes (re-sign), Byron Mullens (FA), Reggie Bullock (draft), Ryan Hollins (re-sign), Doc Rivers (VP & Coach)
Subtractions: Eric Bledsoe (Suns), Caron Butler (Suns), Grant Hill (retired), Chauncey Billups (Pistons), Ronny Turiaf (Timberwolves), DaJuan Summers, Vinny Del Negro (coach)
Much has been made of the Rockets landing Howard, but you could argue that the Clippers made the two biggest moves of the summer.
First they somehow convinced Rivers to leave Boston. Say what you will about Rivers, bitter Celtics fans, but he can coach and knows how to fit alpha dogs into a cohesive whole. The Clippers needed a coaching upgrade if they were going to take the next leap, and the team landed the best one available.
Rivers' arrival also went a long way in convincing Paul to re-sign. The All-Star point guard was the best free agent on the market, and the Clippers found a way to keep him in L.A.
They weren't done there, though. The Clippers added Redick to shore up their shooting, Dudley to serve as an all-around glue guy, Collison to back-up Paul for just $1.9 million a year and a bouncy, face-the-basket big man in Byron Mullens.
I even loved their draft pick, Reggie Bullock, who was one of the best shooters in this year's class and should be able to immediately step in and play minutes.
They did all of this without going over the luxury tax (for now) and lost just one first-round pick (in 2015).
As good as the summer was for the Rockets, I think the Clippers that were the NBA's biggest winners. Not only will they field a true title contender next season, but they are now well-positioned to be competitive for years to come.
LOS ANGELES LAKERS | GRADE: C
Additions: Chris Kaman (FA), Nick Young (FA), Jordan Farmar (FA), Wesley Johnson (FA), Robert Sacre (re-sign), Ryan Kelly (draft), Elias Harris (FA)
Subtractions: Dwight Howard (Rockets), Metta World Peace (Knicks), Earl Clark (Cavaliers), Andrew Goudelock (Russia), Chris Duhon
It was the best of times and the worst of times in Los Angeles this summer. And for once, it was the Clippers who were celebrating. While Donald Sterling's crew was landing Doc Rivers and re-signing Chris Paul, the Lakers stood by and watched their dynasty crumble.
Dwight Howard bolted and, with him, went any sense of future security for the Lakers. This upcoming season might not be a total disaster. Perhaps Kobe Bryant (if he can recover from his Achilles tear), Steve Nash and Pau Gasol will rally for one last postseason push. Kaman, Young and Farmar are three veterans who might be able to help them creak by the younger, more energetic upstarts in the West. Unlikely, but perhaps.
But after this season? The Lakers are facing the cleanest slate they've had in over a decade. Next season they figure to have just one significant contract on the books (Nash) and roughly $40 to $45 million in cap space.
While I personally think they should've tried to move Gasol and Nash and then tried to bottom out for a high draft pick, at least they aren't trying to piece together a team of veterans for a two- to three-year run.
In 2014, the Lakers are going to look much, much different. Kobe will be back if he wants to be and is physically able to be, but the rest of the team is up for grabs. The Lakers are confident that they'll be at the front of the line for top talent like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. If they can land any of those guys, this summer will be a one-time setback in an otherwise super-bright future.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES | GRADE: C
Additions: Tony Allen (re-sign), Kosta Koufos (trade), Mike Miller (FA), Jon Leuer (re-sign), Nick Calathes (trade), Jamaal Franklin (draft), Josh Akognon (waivers), Dave Joerger (coach)
Subtractions: Darrell Arthur (Nuggets), Austin Daye (Raptors), Lionel Hollins (coach)
The Grizzlies made most of their major moves at the trade deadline and appear content to take another swing at a Western Conference title with their team largely intact.
Their biggest move was replacing Hollins with Joerger. Much has been written about the divergent worldviews of the Grizzlies' new front office and their now-former head coach. Hollins was a good coach, but clearly the team felt they needed a coach more aligned with their new philosophy. Joerger doesn't have much of a track record by which to judge him, but sources all around the league are confident he has the makings of a very good head coach.
Memphis' big move, roster-wise, was to re-sign Allen, their defensive stopper, at a bargain price (four year, $20 million dollar). Otherwise, the Grizzlies focused on upgrading their bench. Koufos provides some much-needed depth behind Marc Gasol. Miller, if healthy, is still a lethal shooter and should provide a big boost coming off the bench behind Tayshaun Prince. Franklin, an uber-athletic wing who led San Diego State in points, rebounds, assists and steals as a junior, is the type of junkyard player who could earn minutes next season.
And they might not be done yet. Sources say they continue to explore trades scenarios involving Zach Randolph, and they have shown interest in free-agent point guard Mo Williams.
I don't think the Grizzlies are the favorites in the West. But if everything goes right for them? They could still run the table.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES | GRADE: C-
Additions: Kevin Martin (S&T), Chase Budinger (re-sign), Corey Brewer (FA), Shabazz Muhammad (draft), Gorgui Dieng (draft), Ronny Turiaf (FA), Lorenzo Brown (draft), Flip Saunders (GM)
Subtractions: Andrei Kirilenko (Nets), Luke Ridnour (Bucks), Brandon Roy (retired), Greg Stiemsma (Pelicans), Malcolm Lee (Suns), David Kahn (GM)
I'm tempted to give the Wolves an "A" here just for firing Kahn, but the rest of the summer was a mixed bag for new team president Flip Saunders.
We're assuming the Wolves will eventually reach a deal with Nikola Pekovic, a restricted free agent, since there isn't a team with cap room left that has interest, and the Wolves want to retain him.
Minnesota has been looking for an answer at the 2 for years, and Martin gives them a veteran who can make an impact right away. But $27 million over four years is crazy for a player whose game is slowly starting to wane. Add in $15 million for three years of Budinger and $14 million for three years of Brewer, and the Wolves spent $56 million on role players. Maybe the team didn't fire Kahn after all.
Their other big addition was Muhammad, a player many scouts felt would be one of the top three players in the draft last July. However, an uneven year at UCLA exposed many of his flaws and his draft stock plummeted. Did the Wolves get a steal when they drafted him with the last pick of the lottery? If his Summer League performance gives any indication (and many times it doesn't), the answer is no. Dieng, meanwhile, gives them a big man who can block shots and really pass it. But he's still raw, especially for a 23-year-old.
Kirilenko was terrific last season, and losing him to the Nets, especially given the huge pay cut he took to do so, was painful.
Overall, the Wolves have the pieces in place to compete for a seventh or eighth seed in the West if everyone stays healthy. But with this team still treading in the waters of mediocrity, Kevin Love's free-agent decision in the summer of 2015 begins to loom large.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS | GRADE: B-
Additions: Jrue Holiday (trade), Tyreke Evans (S&T), Al-Farouq Aminu (re-sign), Anthony Morrow (FA), Greg Stiemsma (FA), Jeff Withey (trade)
Subtractions: Robin Lopez (Blazers), Greivis Vasquez (Kings), Lance Thomas, Terrel Harris (Blazers), Xavier Henry, Lou Amundson, Roger Mason Jr.
I'm not sure any team had a more controversial summer than the Pelicans. Whether you took issue with naming a NBA team after a goofy bird, questioned their decision to trade away a guy who probably should've been the No. 1 pick in the draft along with a potential lottery pick in next year's loaded draft or you wondered aloud why they'd pay so much money to player who peaked as a rookie and won't even start, the Pelicans have given us plenty to talk about.
Context, I believe, is in order. GM Dell Demps is under the same ownership edict that Bucks GM John Hammond is. His owner is old. He doesn't have time for a long rebuild. He wants to win now.
So Demps, given those constraints, gets a solid grade for the Holiday deal. His team needed a point guard, and Holiday made the All-Star team last season at the age of 22. While I can't find anyone who loves his game, New Orleans landed an above-average player at the cost of a young big man coming off ACL surgery, who does many of the things that Anthony Davis already does well and a pick that probably ends up in the late lottery to mid-first round. If the Pelicans were really trying to shore up their future, they stick with Noel, stay bad for another year and try to add another star. But if you're going to go for it, you can do a lot worse than Holiday.
The Evans decision is a little harder to wrap my arms around. The Pelicans needed a center and small forward. Evans is neither. But Demps saw talent that he thought he could steal. He believes that the culture they've built in New Orleans and a head coaching staff led by Monty Williams is far superior to what Evans was subjected to the past few seasons in Sacramento. Evans is just 23 years old, and if he can put it all together, they might still be able to turn Eric Gordon into a long-term solution at the 3 or 5.
For those that love true rebuilds, the Pelicans lost their patience and screwed this up. But on second glance, they are still young and still have assets and talent. While I'm not convinced the Pelicans crack the top eight in the West, they still have a strong foundation going forward.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER | GRADE: C-
Additions: Derek Fisher (re-sign), Steven Adams (draft), Andre Roberson (draft), Grant Jerrett (draft)
Subtractions: Kevin Martin (Timberwolves)
Not sure there was a team with a quieter offseason than the Thunder. With a payroll dangerously close to the luxury-tax threshold, they had to let sixth man Kevin Martin walk and signed only a minor role player in Fisher and their draft picks.
Adams is a freak of nature -- a young, 19-year-old big man with an NBA body, strength, athleticism and motor. But he's relatively new to the game and has a lot of work to do to be ready for the pro game, especially on the offensive end. Despite being just 6-foot-7 and 206 pounds, Roberson was one of the best rebounders in college basketball last season. And they hit in the second round with Jerrett, a big stretch-4 who underachieved as a freshman at Arizona but who looked solid in summer league. All three have bright futures but will likely spend the season in the D-League.
The Thunder drafted well, but their window is now, and it's unclear whether Jeremy Lamb has the chops to replace Martin coming off the bench. So many teams have improved in the West, but the Thunder's lack of creative moves marks a second straight disappointing offseason.
PHOENIX SUNS | GRADE: B
Additions: Eric Bledsoe (trade), Alex Len (draft), Archie Goodwin (draft), Caron Butler (trade), Gerald Green (trade), Miles Plumlee (trade), Malcolm Lee (trade), Ryan McDonough (GM), Jeff Hornacek (coach), Pacers' 2014 1st Rd draft pick
Subtractions: Luis Scola (Pacers), Jared Dudley (Clippers), Wesley Johnson (Lakers), Jermaine O'Neal (Warriors), Hamed Haddadi, Lance Blanks (GM), Lindsey Hunter (coach)
I've been throwing haymakers at the Suns in this forum for the past few years. Given their rapid descent, I think the criticisms have been fair. But for the first time in a while, I see a ray of hope in the Valley of the Sun.
With new GM Ryan McDonough at the helm, the Suns officially acknowledged what they should've accepted three years ago: they're rebuilding. And as a result, they have been aggressive in acquiring draft picks, have been conservative in using their cap room and are stocking up on young players with serious upside.
Landing Bledsoe for the price of Dudley and a second-round pick may have been the steal of the summer. Reasonable minds can disagree about Bledsoe's future, but he's a 23-year-old young point guard who excelled while playing significant minutes on a playoff team. For a rebuilding one like the Suns, that's pure gold.
They also landed what they believe to be their center of the future in Len, who is huge, athletic and quite skilled for a player his age but is coming off surgery for a stress fracture in his ankle. I like Len, but the Suns should've taken Nerlens Noel ahead of him. Noel, to me, has more upside, and I worry a bit about Len's toughness.
Goodwin, the second youngest player in the draft, struggled in his freshman season at Kentucky. But he's blessed with great speed and athleticism, and if he ever develops a jump shot, he could be a lethal scorer. He looked quite impressive at summer league, and if the Suns are patient, they could have their backcourt of the future in Bledsoe and Goodwin.
The rest of the acquisitions the Suns made were really throw-ins. They swallowed Green's contract to get a hold of the Pacers' first-round pick next year. Butler was a throw-in to get Bledsoe. The team does like Plumlee a bit.
They may not be done yet. There remains significant interest in Marcin Gortat and Goran Dragic, who they could deal for valuable asset.
The Suns will likely be awful again next season, perhaps awful enough to be the worst team in the West. But they are finally beginning to acquire young players to build around. Another high draft pick next year, combined with a load of cap space, and the Suns could be well on their way back up the standings.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS | GRADE: A
Additions: C.J. McCollum (draft), Thomas Robinson (trade), Robin Lopez (trade), Dorell Wright (FA), Allen Crabbe (draft), Earl Watson (FA), Terrel Harris (trade)
Subtractions: J.J. Hickson (Nuggets), Eric Maynor (Wizards), Ronnie Price (Magic), Jared Jeffries, Sasha Pavlovic
GM Neil Olshey has been quietly rebuilding the Blazers while keeping up appearances that this might be a playoff team. With the addition of two more lottery picks in McCollum and Robinson, the Blazers have somehow managed to inject new blood into the franchise without giving up any of their key core players.
After hitting a home run with Damian Lillard last summer, the Blazers believe they may have done it again with McCollum. Like Lillard, McCollum is a super scorer who lit up opponents in a small conference. Like Lillard, he also possesses exceptional maturity and an unrelenting work ethic. Together, they could give the Blazers one of the most dynamic backcourts in the league.
Robinson was a top-five pick in the 2012 draft, but he struggled as a rookie in stints with the Kings and Rockets. He has the requisite strength and athletic ability to be a beast on the boards. It's his basketball IQ on the offensive end that's in serious question now. While he may not have been worthy of his lofty draft position -- he went one spot ahead of Lillard -- Robinson has upside and could be an important fixture off the bench.
The team also upgraded in the middle, getting Lopez from the Pelicans. While Lopez is probably better suited coming off the bench, he had a very strong 2012-13 in which he posted an impressive 18.9 PER. He should battle second-year big man Meyers Leonard for the starting center position.
Wright and Crabbe were also important additions. They came cheap, and both players can really shoot the basketball.
All in all, Olshey has proven to be quite adept at sniffing out bargains in the market and pouncing on them. Not only do the Blazers have intriguing young players at every position on the floor, they also look talented enough to make a real run at the eighth seed in the West. In a few years, they may be far more dangerous than simply a team that you don't want to play in the first round.
SACRAMENTO KINGS | GRADE: C+
Additions: Ben McLemore (draft), Carl Landry (FA), Greivis Vasquez (trade), Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (trade), Ray McCallum (draft), Vivek Randive (owner), Pete D'Alessandro (GM), Mike Malone (coach)
Subtractions: Tyreke Evans (Pelicans), Toney Douglas (Warriors), Joe and Gavin Maloof (Owners), Geoff Petrie (GM), Keith Smart (coach)
Whatever I write about the Kings will likely be irrelevant. Kings fans won in April when the NBA announced that the league would reject the Maloofs' proposal to sell the franchise to a Seattle-based ownership group.
Anything else that happens is gravy. Basketball lives in Sacramento.
To that end, the gravy has been pretty thin at the moment. New owner Vivek Ranadive looks a bit green already, panicking and hiring head coach Mike Malone before finding a GM and then letting Malone dictate who he hired to run the team. Ranadive has said publicly on several occasions that he wants an experienced hand guiding his new team, but instead hired a young assistant GM who happens to be tight with the new head coach. I think D'Alessandro is a smart, talented man, but I'm not sure he was ready for the job. When coaches, especially rookies, are calling the shots, it rarely goes well.
A case in point was the four-year, $26 million dollar deal they gave to Landry. He's a good player and a guy that coaches love, but he's not a terrific fit in the rebuilding curve of the Kings and seemed an odd choice to spend on. The same could be said for the decision to trade for Mbah a Moute. He was barely a solid rotation player on a quasi-playoff team like the Bucks, but his defensive reputation sold Malone on committing nearly $9 million of the Kings' money.
In the meantime, the Kings didn't really make much of an effort to get out and pursue younger players that could fit into the future. They didn't even explore moving DeMarcus Cousins, because the big man will help them win ball games next season. Not enough to be a playoff team, mind you, but enough to not be associated with the Suns or Sixers of the world.
Their best addition was McLemore. Based on talent alone, he was one of the two or three best players in the draft, but he slipped to the Kings because of questions about his maturity and his lack of aggression. He didn't quell any fears at summer league, where he looked awful. But his performance was mostly a result of not being in great shape and desperately trying to prove his willingness to shoot. Over his last few games in Las Vegas, he settled down, and the upside was evident. If Malone can give McLemore both structure and confidence, he will be a major building block for the Kings.
As for the rest of the team? Expect a finish somewhere between 12 and 14 in the West, a high draft pick next June and significant cap room next summer. The long-term future looks promising, but the short term is still going to be ugly.
SAN ANTONIO SPURS | GRADE: B
Additions: Manu Ginobili (re-sign), Tiago Splitter (re-sign), Marco Belinelli (FA), Jeff Pendergraph (FA), Deshaun Thomas (draft)
Subtractions: Gary Neal (Bucks), DeJuan Blair (Mavericks)
The Spurs came about as close as you can come to winning a NBA title without actually winning it. If a team ever deserved a trophy for coming in second place, it's them.
To that end, the team decided to bring back the same crew. They got the rapidly fading Manu to sign a reasonable, two-year, $14 million deal. Their offer to Splitter (four years, $36 million) was considerably larger, but it decreases each year, and there aren't 15 centers in the league better than he is.
Their other additions probably won't excite anyone, but maybe they should. Every year the Spurs pull a player of two from the proverbial NBA trash heap and turn them into valuable role players. This year, Belinelli and Pendergraph might be those guys. Belinelli can really shoot the basketball, and Pendergraph can rebound and score around the basket. Both have talent well-suited to the team's style of play and are better than the contracts they received -- a hallmark of Spurs summers.
And don't sleep on Thomas, the Spurs' second-round draft prospect. He was one of the two or three best scorers in the draft this year, but slid because people questioned his work ethic and defense. He couldn't have landed on a better team than San Antonio or with a better coach than Gregg Popovich. If he's willing to do what Pop says, in two years everyone will be asking why in the world Thomas wasn't a lottery pick.
UTAH JAZZ | GRADE: B
Additions: Trey Burke (draft), Rudy Gobert (draft), Andris Biedrins (trade), Richard Jefferson (trade), Brandon Rush (trade), John Lucas III (FA), Ian Clark (FA), Warriors' 2014 1st Rd draft pick
Subtractions: Paul Millsap (Hawks), Al Jefferson (Bobcats), Mo Williams, Randy Foye (Nuggets), DeMarre Carroll (Hawks), Earl Watson (Blazers), Kevin Murphy (Warriors)
As long as I've known him, Kevin O'Connor has never been a fan of tanking. The reason being that a culture of losing starts forming and that playing meaningful basketball is as important to a player's development as playing lots of minutes.
For years, the Jazz have embodied that philosophy. This year, that's all changing.
With Dennis Lindsey now leading the team and the NBA landscape changing, the Jazz have joined the teams "Riggin' for Wiggins." And somewhere, O'Connor's blood pressure is soaring.
The team is loaded with young talent already. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter have been mentored for several seasons behind veterans, and both have the potential to be All-Stars someday. Ditto for Gordon Hayward. And lots of people on the team are high on Alec Burks as well. So deciding to let Milsap, Jefferson and Williams walk this summer was about more than just tanking -- it was about giving their young core a chance before difficult decisions have to be made in free agency.
The newest addition to that young core is Burke, who the Jazz traded up to get. While I was higher on a couple of other point guards in the draft, I understand that the Jazz need a leader for their young team and what Burke possesses in spades is moxy. His lack of size and elite athletic ability were exposed at summer league. But he's a tough player who plays with a chip on his shoulder and he should find a way to overcome his physical weaknesses.
The drafting of Gobert was also about upside. He's not ready to play in the NBA, but his 7-foot-9 wingspan and his work ethic were too much for the Jazz to pass on. Clark, the MVP of the championship game at the Las Vegas Summer League, also gives them a young player who can score from both positions in the backcourt.
Biedrins, Jefferson and Rush were all throws-in so that the Jazz could get a hold of the Warriors' 2014 and 2016 first-round picks. Biedrins and Rush both have upside and could end up getting minutes this season, and perhaps even another contract in Utah.
If the Jazz are going to be bad, they only want to be bad for one year -- and they picked the right year to do it. The competition in the West was likely too stiff to make the playoffs anyway. Next year's draft is loaded, and a year of leadership experience for Hayward, Favors, Kanter, Burks and Burke is a good thing.
Flush with cash next summer, the Jazz can re-sign who they want, add others via free agency and move right back into being contenders in 2014-15.
#1 J.R., Aug 1, 2013
myco Contributing Member
Pretty backhanded compliment for the Rockets and really more of a dig at Morey.
#2 myco, Aug 1, 2013
plates300 Member
I hate it how everyone plays it off as "oh the Rockets got lucky." Well no sh*$, all teams have to get lucky to get the players they want. Definitely a back handed compliment but it's ESPN so it's expected. Honestly, if Morey didn't land Howard, I still think he's done a great job.
#3 plates300, Aug 1, 2013
CDrex Contributing Member
J.R. said: ↑
But after this season? The Lakers are facing the cleanest slate they've had in over a decade. Next season they figure to have just one significant contract on the books (Nash) and roughly $40 to $45 million in cap space. The Lakers are confident that they'll be at the front of the line for top talent like LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh. If they can land any of those guys, this summer will be a one-time setback in an otherwise super-bright future.
I'm a little offended by the Ford's lack of research here. He implies that even without jettisoning Nash, they'll have two max contracts to toss out and then they can resign Kobe. Obviously he didn't read this piece on their cap outlook, which reminds us that unless they renounce the rights to go over the cap to sign Kobe, Kobe's cap hold eats up nearly $32 million.
Accounting for roster spot min salary charges, this gives them
a) about $14 million to spend if they plan to spend first, then resign Kobe over the cap, keeping Nash
b) about $20 million to spend if they waive Nash with the stretch provision, spend, then resign Kobe over the cap
c) about ($14 million + X) if Kobe signs first and take a pay cut of X dollars compared to his cap hold, keeping Nash
d) about ($20 million + X) if Kobe signs first and take a pay cut of X dollars compared to his cap hold, stretching Nash
e) goodbye Kobe! (like that's going to happen)
Bryant would have to accept at the very most $11 million a year to get max contracts to two guys from the class of '03. And he's said he doesn't plan to take a pay cut. So...yeah.
#4 CDrex, Aug 1, 2013
Fyreball Contributing Member
ESPN continues to show their true colors by calling the Rockets lucky, and saying that this has a likelihood of being a short-term setback in a "super-bright" future for the Lakers. Really?? Super-bright? Because last time I checked, Kobe's cap-hold is massive, and LeBron is not leaving Miami. That to me is the polar opposite of "super-bright."
#5 Fyreball, Aug 1, 2013
da_juice Member
Fyreball said: ↑
Lakers always have a super bright future in the world of ESPN (something that is, unfortunately, historically rooted in reality).
#6 da_juice, Aug 1, 2013
jim1961 Member
Resigning your own players is one of those things that if you do, your holding serve basically. But if you fail to do it, assuming that player is an important piece and someone you want to resign in the first place, then its a loss definitely.
In the case of the Clippers, I just cant elevate them to the top of the heap mostly based on resigning players.
If Miami merely resigns Lebron next year, I suppose in ESPN's way of thinking their off season will be a A+++++ while at the same time the team is not one iota better than before based on this move alone.
So what ESPN's offseason report REALLY should be called is "Who had the best player to resign in the offseason" report card.
#7 jim1961, Aug 1, 2013
ROXTXIA Contributing Member
From what I understand, Morey wanted to blow it up. He found the "middle way" listed above because Les insisted on rebuilding without sucking any harder than necessary.
Otherwise, decent article, if a little heavy on the "Rockets are more lucky than good". How about, Sam Presti should be kicking himself right now?
#8 ROXTXIA, Aug 1, 2013
Jimes Member
The writer also didn't get the memo that you're supposed to misspell Morey, not Daryl.
#9 Jimes, Aug 1, 2013
daywalker02 Easter Egg Hunter - Tell me why? نحن عائلة
It's A+
They just don't know how to appreciate the loss of Royce White
It will guarantee us another spot to accommodate a quality player
#10 daywalker02, Aug 1, 2013
benchmoochie Contributing Member
only contending for wc championship?
#11 benchmoochie, Aug 1, 2013
RedEyesKirby Member
You have to have skills to be lucky.
If you're not prepared, even when luck comes, you won't be able to do anything about it. (LAKERS)
#12 RedEyesKirby, Aug 1, 2013
ivenovember Member
Why did they put Royce White (76ers) under "Subtraction"?
That is definitely an "Addition".
#13 ivenovember, Aug 1, 2013
roslolian Rockets Only Fan
I have several issues with this, namely how the Warriors are supposed to be "in the middle of contention", the Lakers "have a super bright future", but the Rox should only "contend for the WCF crown for the next 2-3 years".
LOL wtf? DH is only 27, Harden is 23 and Parsons is 24
Also why is Dudley, Reddick and Collison amazingly great while Camby, Garcia, Brooks, Cassipi and Canaan aren't impressive? It's not our fault we're already stacked, maybe Ford forgot that we have Harden and Parsons at both wing spots Why the hate on Lin, is De Andre Johnson a championship caliber C? lol
I mean seriously, who wins in a 7 game series?
CP3/Griffin/DJ/Reddick/Dudley
or DH/Harden/Parsons/Asik/Lin with Beverly/DMo/Camby/Garcia as the bench?
#14 roslolian, Aug 1, 2013
CometsWin Breaker Breaker One Nine
Rather be lucky than good in free agency. The Harden trade wasn't luck, that was straight mobster taking advantage of the poor.
#15 CometsWin, Aug 1, 2013
BeardSanity Member
That article possed me off even tho they gave us an A.
He totally discounted moreys skills by basically calling him lucky to still have a job. Wow.
All good, I would hate to be overhyped all season anyways.
#16 BeardSanity, Aug 2, 2013
LosPollosHermanos Appropriate pronouns only please
what is it with the clipps improving the most?
Thats a joke.
#17 LosPollosHermanos, Aug 2, 2013
crash5179 Contributing Member
I don't have really have much of a problem with the grades for the most part, but if I'm being critical then here is really my main issue with the article.
The author lays out the criteria for his grading system right here. Then he proceeds to give the Clippers an A+ largely based on the fact that they signed Chris Paul. My problem with that is that Chris Paul is not an addition for the Clippers, they already had him. By resigning Chris the Clippers did nothing in the form of Remaking the team. The team is essentially the exact same set of starters from last season.
Are the Clippers substantially closer to winning a championship then they were in April? No. Doc probably gives them a better chance but does a coach suddenly make the pathetic play the Clippers have been getting out of DeAndre Jordan better? I doubt it.
The Clippers gave up a 1st round pick for Doc but completely blew their oppertunity to acquire Kevin Garnett because of how public them and the Celtics made it known that they were intending to make Doc and KG a package deal. Had they kept that quite and observed the rules of the CBA then the Clipps probably are able to acquire KG seperately from the Doc transaction with out too much interference from David Stern.
By Comparison:
1. The Rockets clearly made the biggest jump by advancing the team into elite/contender status.
2. While the Clippers had to give up a 1st round pick to acquire Doc Rivers, the Rockets gave up nothing to acquire Dwight Howard.
3. While the Clippers got high marks for not exceeding the Luxury Tax Threshold, the Rockets are paying more than 10 million a season less than the Clipps in total salary.
4. While Keeping the all of the teams draft picks, the Rockets are in better position going forward than the Clippers, considering the additional 2nd round picks the Rockets are also loaded with.
5. Not only do the Rockets field a true title contender this season but they are BETTER positioned than the Clipps because they have more 1st and 2nd round picks moving forward plus the Rockets salary cap situation is much better then the Clippers. According to Shamsports the Clippers are actually over the LT just not over the Apron. http://data.shamsports.com/content/pages/data/salaries/clippers.jsp
#18 crash5179, Aug 2, 2013
trueroxfan Member
daywalker02 said: ↑
It will guarantee us another spot to accommodate a player
I am surprised they gave us an A and the Clippers an A+. The Clippers kept all their guys and signed two quality role players. We kept our main guys and signed the best center in the league. How are 2 role players > 1 all star?
I'm one of those who believes the loss of Dwight was a good thing for the Lakers. If they were going to continue that system of offense, and keep Gasol, Dwight was not a good fit, imo. This team is still a playoff team (bottom of the pack) IF Kobe is able to return by midseason. I don't know much about the heal time for Achilles injuries, but didn't Billups have the same injury, came back early, and got re injured? I think they'll be battling for the 8th seed, which isn't terrible considering they are essentially the poster team for AARP.
Not sure how I feel about this team anymore. Rudy Gay isn't the player I thought he was going to develop into, and they got rid of Hollins, who I thought was a pretty good coach. I think this is a fair grade.
I think the T Wolves had a pretty good offseason. K Mart fits perfect with that team, and if he can score 20+ again this season, and Love and Rubio come back strong, with a coach like Adelman...this team can be as good as a 5th seed. Not to mention they got some help at backup center, a steal with Shabazz, and a quality wing with Brewer. I think a B- is more appropriate.
They deserve an F- for the stupid name.
They essentially did NOTHING. How is Fisher still in the league?
Not sure if they deserve an F for letting Scola go, or an A++ for letting him go to a contending team. JK, I am confused with their moves, why are they stacking up on starting point guards?
Not a bad offseason, but I think they'll tear it down by the trade deadline.
Why did Landry sign with this team? Must have been to be back with Hayes! But seriously, he could have gone to a much better team.
I like Belinelli, but I can't imagine Duncan will play as good as he did last year. This is their last chance.
F the Jazz. They get a D for being tools.
#19 trueroxfan, Aug 2, 2013


Home / Articles / Civil rights groups sue state officials over voter registrations
Civil rights groups sue state officials over voter registrations
Adam Jadhav // Published April 24, 2008 in ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Voting-rights activists filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Missouri public aid officials and election authorities in St. Louis and Kansas City, saying that agencies have failed to help poor people stay active on the voter rolls.
The suit, filed in Kansas City by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, focuses on a 1993 federal law that requires voter registration to be offered at drivers license facilities and government assistance offices — those that offer aid such as food stamps, Medicaid and welfare. But although registering at drivers license offices is now commonplace, activists claim the Missouri Department of Social Services has shirked its obligations.
ACORN, represented by lawyers from national groups Project Vote, Demos and the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, also says election authorities need to better instruct local public aid offices.
The lawsuit carries all the overtones of a traditional political brawl, pitting groups allied with minorities and the poor — who typically lean Democratic — against a key department of a Republican administration.
Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Missouri's highest authority on elections and a Democrat, is not named as a defendant. The plaintiffs say Carnahan has been helpful on the issue.
Missouri is only the latest battleground for the voting groups, who have worked with Michigan, North Carolina and New Mexico. In 2006, Project Vote and others sued officials in Ohio.
Voter registration applications from drivers license offices have remained steady in recent years. But registrations at public aid agencies around the country have fallen, according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. In Missouri, those offices handled more 143,000 registration applications in the 1996 election cycle. By the 2006 cycle, that figure had decreased almost 90 percent to fewer than 16,000.
"Those people belong in the electoral process," said Brian Mellor, a lawyer with Project Vote. "That was the point of the federal law — involve everybody."
Missouri Social Services Director Deborah Scott, the top official named in the suit, maintains that the state's public aid offices were in compliance with federal rules. Scott's assistant Jan Carter suggested Wednesday that a successful registration campaign years ago led to the decrease now.
"Once you've fished in a pool and caught most of the fish, the remaining fish are going to be limited," Carter said.
Carter also said aid offices see lower foot traffic today — and register fewer people — because clients can apply for services online and over the phone.
Mellor countered that the federal law didn't distinguish between public aid services offered in person or online. And activists say they spot-checked almost a dozen offices in the St. Louis and Kansas City area and found that none offered voter registration materials with applications for public aid. Three didn't even provide registration forms when asked, the activists said.
The lawsuit also contends that local election authorities should be stepping in. Jerry Wamser, an attorney for the St. Louis Elections Board, and Charles Renner, an attorney for the Kansas City board, both said they would review the suit but declined to comment further.
Charlene Davis, the Republican elections director for Jackson County, argued that her office had no authority to oversee public aid agencies. "Within their offices, we have no control," Davis said.
She said her office did conduct initial training sessions with social service workers, who resisted the federal requirements.
"There was a definite attitude problem," Davis said. "They felt that they were doing our work."
The dispute goes back to 2006, when Project Vote lawyers and others first approached Carnahan, who followed up in meetings, phone calls and e-mails with the public aid agencies.
In response to the lawsuit, Carnahan spokesman Ryan Hobart issued a statement: "It's disappointing that, despite the wide-ranging efforts we have taken, all eligible Missourians might not have been given their legally required opportunity to register to vote."
Attorneys for the activists also wrote directly to Scott in August 2007 with their complaints, offering to meet with state officials. Alternatively, they warned they could file a lawsuit, according to letters provided to the Post-Dispatch.
Scott wrote back denying the allegations, defending the department and asking for more specifics; she also referred future contact to a state lawyer.
Carter, Scott's assistant, suggested the lawsuit was an insincere way to achieve that goal. She also questioned ACORN's credibility, noting that several employees were indicted last year on allegations involving bogus registrations.
Mellor said ACORN shouldn't be held responsible for the misconduct of low-paid contractors.
Contact reporter at Adam.Jadhav@post-dispatch.com or 314-340-8255


Hillary Clinton Says She's 'Always Tried' to Tell the Truth
BYBenjamin Snyder
February 19, 2016, 4:07 PM UTC
Photograph by Bloomberg via Getty Images
For Hillary Clinton, the truth sometimes sounds a lot more like "truthiness."
The Democratic candidate for President said in an interview with CBS News that she's "always tried to tell the truth" when asked at her campaign office in Las Vegas.
"You know, in '76, Jimmy Carter famously said, 'I will not lie to you,'" said CBS' Scott Pelley to the Democratic frontrunner. "Well, I have to tell you I have tried in every way I know how literally from my years as a young lawyer all the way through my time as secretary of state to level with the American people," Clinton replied.
The comments come as Clinton has been struggling against her opponent Bernie Sanders in recent months. She lost in a landslide to Sanders in New Hampshire and didn't perform as well in Iowa.
A poll from last year, meanwhile, found that the American public considers Clinton a liar, as Fortune reported.
Pelley pressed her further, asking, "Have you always told the truth?" And Clinton responded, "I've always tried to. Always. Always."
"Well, but, you know, you're asking me to say, 'Have I ever?' I don't believe I ever have. I don't believe I ever have," Clinton, a former Senator in New York and Secretary of State, added. "I don't believe I ever will. I'm gonna do the best I can to level with the American people."
Here's a link to the interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKkTYGrUL5Q
Fortune has reached out to Clinton's campaign for comment, and we will update this story if we hear back.


Fallacies of distributed computing
The fallacies of distributed computing are a set of assertions made by L Peter Deutsch and others at Sun Microsystems describing false assumptions that programmers new to distributed applications invariably make.
1 The fallacies
2 The effects of the fallacies
The fallacies[edit]
The fallacies are:[1]
The network is reliable
Latency is zero
Bandwidth is infinite
The network is secure
Topology doesn't change
There is one administrator
Transport cost is zero
The network is homogeneous
The effects of the fallacies[edit]
Software applications are written with little error-handling on networking errors. During a network outage, such applications may stall or infinitely wait for an answer packet, permanently consuming memory or other resources. When the failed network becomes available, those applications may also fail to retry any stalled operations or require a (manual) restart.
Ignorance of network latency, and of the packet loss it can cause, induces application- and transport-layer developers to allow unbounded traffic, greatly increasing dropped packets and wasting bandwidth.
Ignorance of bandwidth limits on the part of traffic senders can result in bottlenecks.
Complacency regarding network security results in being blindsided by malicious users and programs that continually adapt to security measures.[2]
Changes in network topology can have effects on both bandwidth and latency issues, and therefore can have similar problems.
Multiple administrators, as with subnets for rival companies, may institute conflicting policies of which senders of network traffic must be aware in order to complete their desired paths.
The "hidden" costs of building and maintaining a network or subnet are non-negligible and must consequently be noted in budgets to avoid vast shortfalls.
If a system assumes a homogeneous network, then it can lead to the same problems that result from the first three fallacies.
This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
Find sources: "Fallacies of distributed computing" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
The list of fallacies generally[clarification needed] came about at Sun Microsystems. L. Peter Deutsch, one of the original Sun "Fellows", is credited[by whom?] with penning the first seven fallacies in 1994; however, Bill Joy and Tom Lyon had already identified the first four as "The Fallacies of Networked Computing"[3] (the article claims "Dave Lyon", but this is a mistake[why?]). Around 1997, James Gosling, another Sun Fellow and the inventor of Java, added the eighth fallacy.[3]
CAP theorem
PACELC theorem
RISC vs CISC debate
fine vs coarse grained SOA
^ "The Eight Fallacies of Distributed Computing - Tech Talk". Archived from the original on 2017-11-07. Retrieved 2017-06-18.
^ "Malware Defensive Techniques Will Evolve as Security Arms Race Continues".
^ a b "Deutsch's Fallacies, 10 Years After". Archived from the original on 2007-08-11. Retrieved 2005-12-03.
The Eight Fallacies of Distributed Computing
The Eight Fallacies of Distributed Computing at the Wayback Machine (archived September 9, 2016)
Fallacies of Distributed Computing Explained by Arnon Rotem-Gal-Oz
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fallacies_of_distributed_computing&oldid=916589690"
Distributed computing architecture
Distributed computing problems
Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2015
Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2015
Wikipedia articles needing clarification from March 2017
This page was last edited on 19 September 2019, at 16:57 (UTC).


Two men BASE jump from Georgia cell tower, arrested
One of the men, Brian Sims, is from Savannah
Updated: 3:20 PM EST Jan 25, 2018
WAGA-TV Atlanta SOURCE: WAGA-TV Atlanta
ACWORTH, Ga. (AP) - Two police officers were standing near a Georgia cellphone tower when they noticed a man falling from the sky.News outlets report Brian Sims, of Savannah, and Stephen Ahlquist, of Lilburn, were arrested Jan. 18 on trespassing charges for BASE jumping from a 300-foot (90-meter) cellphone tower in Acworth. BASE jumping refers to leaping from a building, among other fixed structures. An arrest warrant says officers initially only had the first jumper, Sims, in custody, as Ahlquist was still in the air. Officers had Sims call Ahlquist over so he could be arrested. Police say the two argued about whether Ahlquist should stay hidden until officers revealed they had a police dog. Sims' GoPro footage was taken as evidence. Both were released on bail. It's unclear whether they have lawyers.(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
ACWORTH, Ga. (AP) - Two police officers were standing near a Georgia cellphone tower when they noticed a man falling from the sky.
News outlets report Brian Sims, of Savannah, and Stephen Ahlquist, of Lilburn, were arrested Jan. 18 on trespassing charges for BASE jumping from a 300-foot (90-meter) cellphone tower in Acworth. BASE jumping refers to leaping from a building, among other fixed structures.
An arrest warrant says officers initially only had the first jumper, Sims, in custody, as Ahlquist was still in the air.
Officers had Sims call Ahlquist over so he could be arrested. Police say the two argued about whether Ahlquist should stay hidden until officers revealed they had a police dog.
Sims' GoPro footage was taken as evidence. Both were released on bail. It's unclear whether they have lawyers.


Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus
Overview: Bus from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo
Average bus duration 1 h 25 min
Average bus ticket price $11 (€9)
Bus frequency 10 a day
Direct bus Yes, there are 10 direct buses a day
Bus companies Autoservizi Salemi
Buses from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo cover the 52 miles (84 km) long route taking on average 1 h 25 min with our travel partners like Autoservizi Salemi. Normally, there are 10 buses operating per day, including direct services available. You can get the cheapest bus tickets for this trip for as low as $11 (€9), but the average price of bus tickets is $11 (€9). Travelers depart most frequently from Palermo Centrale and arrive in Mazara del Vallo, Port.
Travel Tips: Bus to Mazara del Vallo from Palermo
Take the bus to Mazara del Vallo easily. Whether you want fast, cheap or something entirely different, our travel experts have collected everything you need to know so you can find the best option from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo.
How much are cheap buses between Palermo and Mazara del Vallo?
If you're looking to save money on tickets, you can find cheap Palermo to Mazara del Vallo buses for as little as $11 (€9) in the next 7 days.
What is the price of a bus ticket to Mazara del Vallo from Palermo?
The bus price between Palermo and Mazara del Vallo is on average $11 (€9) if you are looking to buy your tickets for this journey in the next 7 days.
How far is Mazara del Vallo from Palermo by bus?
The bus distance from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo is around 52 miles (84 km).
How many hours is the bus time to Mazara del Vallo from Palermo?
On average the Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus travel time is 1 h 25 min for the 52 miles (84 km) long journey, but the duration can vary if you travel on weekends and holidays.
When traveling by bus from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo, which bus station in Palermo do I depart from and which bus station in Mazara del Vallo do I arrive in?
When departing from Palermo, you have various bus station options to start your trip from including Palermo, Via Brasa (Ottica Universitaria Outlet), Palermo, Viale dei Picciotti (Segesta Autolinee SRL) and Palermo, Via Ugo la Malfa / Via Giuseppe Tranchina. When arriving in Mazara del Vallo, you can end your journey in bus stations like Mazara del Vallo, Port, Mazara del Vallo, Via Casa Santa (Chiesa Casa Santa) and Mazara del Vallo, Distributore Q8 di Cipolla & Russo.
Omio customers book a bus from Palermo Centrale to Mazara del Vallo, Port most frequently for this route.
Where is the departure bus station in Palermo located? Where is the arrival bus station in Mazara del Vallo located?
You can find the most popular departure bus station for this route, Palermo Centrale, located approximately 0.6 miles (1 km) from the city center of Palermo. The most popular arrival bus station in Mazara del Vallo, called Mazara del Vallo, Port, is located around 1.1 miles (1.8 km) away from its city center.
What bus companies go from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo?
Take the Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus with Autoservizi Salemi. However, it's always good to check out all possible bus providers for the journey to Mazara del Vallo from Palermo as there might be differences in the amenities they offer.
Can I find a direct bus from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo?
Yes, there are 10 direct buses a day from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo. If you're looking for a direct bus, consider traveling with BlaBlaCar or Autoservizi Salemi. Nonstop bus services tend to offer more convenience and save you time getting you to your destination, so it's worth paying attention to this when booking your bus tickets.
How many bus services are there from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo a day?
On average, there are 10 buses a day from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo. The bus times and services may be different on weekends and holidays compared to weekdays.
When can I take the first bus from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo? When can I take the last bus for the day?
The earliest bus departing from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo leaves at 12: 12 PM. The last bus departing from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo leaves at 3: 20 PM. You can find the latest Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus schedule on Omio and book the best time to leave for your journey on your chosen travel date.
How far in advance should I purchase bus tickets between Palermo and Mazara del Vallo for the best deals?
If you buy the Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus within the next 7 days, you can find one way tickets to cost on average $11 (€9). However, booking your bus ticket in advance gives you access to the best prices for buses from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo. Look out for bus tickets for this trip to go on sale a few months before your planned departure date to find the best deals.
More options for your journey from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo
Return journeys for buses from Palermo to Mazara del Vallo
Compare all journeys between Palermo and Mazara del Vallo
More information on how to get to Palermo Coach Station(s)
Tickets and more information for coaches to Mazara del Vallo
Palermo to London
Bus Palermo-London
Train Palermo-London
Palermo to Paris
Bus Palermo-Paris
Train Palermo-Paris
Palermo to Berlin
Train Palermo-Berlin
Palermo to Rome
Bus Palermo-Rome
Train Palermo-Rome
Palermo to Milan
Bus Palermo-Milan
Train Palermo-Milan
Palermo to Madrid
Bus Palermo-Madrid
Train Palermo-Madrid
Palermo to Barcelona
Bus Palermo-Barcelona
Train Palermo-Barcelona
Train Palermo-Frankfurt am Main
Palermo to Amsterdam
Rome to Mazara del Vallo
Bus Rome-Mazara del Vallo
Palermo to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Naples to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Florence to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Pisa to Mazara del Vallo
Train Trapani-Mazara del Vallo
Marsala to Mazara del Vallo
Bus Marsala-Mazara del Vallo
Train Marsala-Mazara del Vallo
Cinisi to Mazara del Vallo
Bus Cinisi-Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Foggia to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Siena to Mazara del Vallo
Punta Raisi to Mazara del Vallo
Bus Punta Raisi-Mazara del Vallo
Villa San Giovanni to Mazara del Vallo
Bus Villa San Giovanni-Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from San Severo to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Gallarate to Mazara del Vallo
Ferries from Aversa to Mazara del Vallo
Travel to Mazara del Vallo
Bus tickets to Mazara del Vallo
Train Times to Mazara del Vallo
Ferry ticket from Palermo
HomeBusesBus tickets to Mazara del Vallo Palermo to Mazara del Vallo bus


Good Content in Ochsner Journal Letters
Ochsner Journal received a number of excellent letters to the editor in 2016. In the latter part of the year, some writers used the letters column to share important and interesting cases.
Physicians from the State University of New York in Buffalo presented cases on "Relapsing Pleural Effusion in a Patient on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis" and "A Delayed Diagnosis of Iatrogenic Guidewire Retention After Central Line Placement" in the winter issue.
The Journal also published an important discussion entitled "How Much Negative Pressure Are We Generating During Thoracentesis?" and an alert about heat stroke in Pakistan, a public health crisis in some areas.
Four physicians from Montefiore-Einstein Center for Transplantation in New York contributed "High-Dose Tissue Plasminogen Activator Flush in Donation-after-Cardiac-Death Donors May Mitigate Ischemic Biliary Strictures in Liver Transplantation" to the spring issue, and a medical student from the United Kingdom commented on a previously published article, "The Future of Medical Education: All About Being Connected."
The Journal welcomes letters to the editor. For guidelines, refer to our Instructions for Authors.


Vengeful Nicole Kidman Clobbers Tom Cruise!
Nicole Kidman publicly humiliated her ex Tom Cruise by confessing her divorce from the pint-sized actor was one of the best things she's ever done!
While on stage at London's Women in the World conference, the 48-year-old Australian told a stunned audience that her 2001 bust-up boosted her career — and helped her find true love with current hubby Keith Urban.
"I was running from my life at that time," said Nicole about splitting from Tom.
"I wasn't able to handle the reality of it, and as an actor you have this wonderful thing where you can go and get lost in somebody else's life.
"Out of my divorce came work that was applauded, so that was an interesting thing for me."
As reported by The ENQUIRER, Nicole's cruel jab at former husband Tom comes on top of Leah Remini's recent embarrassing expose of the Scientologist's bizarre secret life in her new book "Troublemaker."
The ENQUIRER also recently revealed to the world how Nicole wasn't even invited to the recent wedding of her daughter Isabella — because Scientology demands that non-believer Nicole be banned as a "Suppressive Person."
Nicole can still take some comfort in her 2003 win at the Academy Award for Best Actress "The Hours."
But Nicole admitted that what should have been her most triumphant moment was actually the lowest point in her life.
"I was holding a gold statue and I was the loneliest I'd ever been," said Nicole.
Her misery was finally ended when she met and married Keith in 2006.
Unlike her time with Tom, the "Moulin Rouge" star reveals her marriage to Keith has been one of discovery.
They've grown together as they raise their daughters — Sunday Rose, 7, and 4-year-old Faith Margaret.
Nicole Kidman Tom Cruise


USC Trojans Tickets
Ballparks is now proud to announce our affiliation with TicketTriangle.com, an independent ticket agency offering USC Trojans for all sports and teams at all venues. If you would like to attend a USC Trojans event or to view USC Trojans schedules and information, Ballparks and TicketTriangle is your source. Just click the team link below to find USC Trojans ticket information.
All USC Trojans Tickets
GYMNASTICS Tickets
LACROSSE Tickets
SOFTBALL Tickets
VOLLEYBALL Tickets
WRESTLING Tickets
USC Trojans vs. Washington State Cougars BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/02/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Arizona State Sun Devils BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/03/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/04/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Arizona Wildcats BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/05/2023 12:00PM Buy Now
Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, OR 02/09/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Oregon Ducks BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/10/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
Oregon State Beavers vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, OR 02/11/2023 3:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Oregon State Beavers BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/12/2023 12:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. California Golden Bears BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/16/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Marist Red Foxes BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 02/17/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Stanford Cardinal Women's Basketball vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL Maples Pavilion, Stanford, CA 02/17/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/18/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
California Golden Bears Women's Basketball vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL Haas Pavilion, Berkeley, CA 02/19/2023 1:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. UC Irvine Anteaters BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 02/21/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Colorado Buffaloes vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL CU Events Center, Boulder, CO 02/23/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Washington Huskies BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/23/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Auburn Tigers BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 02/24/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Utah Utes vs. USC Trojans BASKETBALL Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City, UT 02/25/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans Women's Basketball vs. Washington State Cougars BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 02/25/2023 12:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Auburn Tigers BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 02/26/2023 12:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. UC Riverside Highlanders BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/01/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Arizona Wildcats BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 03/02/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Sacramento State Hornets BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/03/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Tulane Green Wave BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/04/2023 2:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Arizona State Sun Devils BASKETBALL Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA 03/04/2023 8:00PM Buy Now
UCLA Bruins vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Jackie Robinson Stadium, Los Angeles, CA 03/05/2023 2:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Nevada Wolf Pack BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/08/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/10/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
California Golden Bears vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Evans Diamond, Berkeley, CA 03/17/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Seattle University Redhawks BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/22/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Washington State Cougars BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 03/24/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
UC Irvine Anteaters vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Anteater Ballpark, Irvine, CA 03/28/2023 6:00PM Buy Now
BYU Cougars vs. USC Trojans VOLLEYBALL George Albert Smith Fieldhouse, Provo, UT 03/30/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Loyola Marymount Lions BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/04/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. San Diego State Aztecs BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/06/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Cal St. Fullerton Titans BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/11/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Oregon State Beavers vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Goss Stadium At Coleman Field, Corvallis, OR 04/14/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
Oregon State Beavers vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Goss Stadium At Coleman Field, Corvallis, OR 04/16/2023 12:00PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. CSUN Matadors BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/18/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/21/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. UC San Diego Tritons BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 04/25/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Washington Huskies vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Husky Ballpark, Seattle, WA 04/28/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Oregon Ducks BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 05/05/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 05/09/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Arizona State Sun Devils BASEBALL Dedeaux Field, Los Angeles, CA 05/12/2023 6:30PM Buy Now
Arizona Wildcats vs. USC Trojans BASEBALL Hi Corbett Field, Tucson, AZ 05/18/2023 7:00PM Buy Now
2023 USC Trojans Football Seaston Tickets (Includes Tickets To All Regular Season Home Games) FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 08/25/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. San Jose State Spartans FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 08/26/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. San Jose State Spartans FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 08/26/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Nevada Wolf Pack FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 09/02/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. Nevada Wolf Pack FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 09/02/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 09/09/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. Stanford Cardinal FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 09/09/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
Arizona State Sun Devils vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Sun Devil Stadium, Phoenix, AZ 09/23/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: Arizona State Sun Devils vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Sun Devil Stadium Parking Lots, Phoenix, AZ 09/23/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
Colorado Buffaloes vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Folsom Field, Boulder, CO 09/30/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: Colorado Buffaloes vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Folsom Field Parking Lots, Boulder, CO 09/30/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Arizona Wildcats FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 10/06/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. Arizona Wildcats FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 10/06/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Notre Dame Stadium Parking Lots, Notre Dame, IN 10/14/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN 10/14/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Utah Utes FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 10/21/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. Utah Utes FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 10/21/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING; California Golden Bears vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Memorial Stadium Parking Lots - CA, Berkeley, CA 10/28/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
California Golden Bears vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Memorial Stadium - CA, Berkeley, CA 10/28/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. Washington Huskies FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 11/04/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR 11/11/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: Oregon Ducks vs. USC Trojans FOOTBALL Autzen Stadium Parking Lots, Eugene, OR 11/11/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
PARKING: USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Parking Lots, Los Angeles, CA 11/18/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
USC Trojans vs. UCLA Bruins FOOTBALL Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, CA 11/18/2023 3:30AM Buy Now
To order USC Trojans tickets online please click the above link. We specialize in selling tickets to all types of sporting events.
TicketTriangle.com is a top source for USC Trojans tickets on the Internet! We can help provide premium USC Trojans tickets or any other USC Trojans event as well as other major sports events throughout the country. We put you into quality seats for the USC Trojans ticket of your choice.
We can always locate the hard to find USC Trojans along with seats for any other USC Trojans event. We carry USC Trojans tickets, some of the best seats available, including front row, and many of our tickets are fairly cheap and a good bargain. Most of our inventory are sold out USC Trojans events. You can order your discount USC Trojans tickets through the TicketTriangle website 24 hours a day 7 days a week.


Soiled Blues
Posted by superadmin Uncategorized No Comments
Observe Listing
Female Pop Stars Who're Unafraid To Sing About Sex
Flip Up The Music And Hear To These Humorous Christmas Songs For Adults
The music is legitimately catchy so we wouldn't be stunned should you were caught humming this to your self. Weird Al Yankovic is one of the most talented artists so it's no shock that he created a humorous grownup track for Christmas. Leave it to Weird Al to make you snort about Santa changing into unhinged. Saturday Night Live created an unusual Christmas track when Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg shared their Dick in a Box with audiences everywhere.
She sings to express herself, and he or she does not care if meaning less album sales, or much less popularity. Come on, she has recorded songs with some of the worlds best singers and sings very well in 5 completely different languages. She sings like an angel and has such appeal about her.
Her songbook recordings of the greatest songwriters of all time are matchless. She was wonderful throughout an period of standing in front of an viewers and merely singing, hearken to "Ella on the Opera House". She was infamous for forgetting the phrases to songs and she or he would either make up new words or scat. While scatting she would turn out to be an unimaginable instrument to playfully encourage the master musicians she often was surrounded by.
Monitor Itemizing
As for her vocal talents, she manages to take care of a strong voice, even when meddling in the more operatic corners of the vocal spectrum.
As a result of her music she has outlined an era for a technology of individuals but has also outlined the 21st century music artist.
Although she could not have the vary or the aforementioned "texture", she made a few of the happiest, most feel good songs of all time, and a number of the saddest as properly.
(Don't imagine me, see "Promise to Try", "Till Death Do us Part", or "Oh Father", simply from one album).
She has a few of the best vary in the songs she sings, and most singles have provoked thought and argument, which is what music ought to do.
Feminine Pop Stars Who Are Unafraid To Sing About Sex
Like much of the pop star's oeuvre it makes a nuanced statement of sexual company. The bad boys can be as unhealthy as they need, so long as they tackle her properly and respect her clearly established boundaries.
Flip Up The Music And Listen To These Funny Christmas Songs For Adults
17 Avril LavigneAvril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian–French singer-songwriter and actress. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records value more than $2 million. When I first heard skyscraper I thought she was superb but doubted if she could sing live exactly like the original music. But once I noticed her performing skyscraper with excessive vocals and very excessive pitch in stay, I felt she obtained the actual talent in singing not like selena gomez who cannot sing stay without he support of refrain.
Number 37 is actually a pretty high rating. I stated she's young and cute and has an attractive voice and I imply that. I also imply that she is ranked way too high on a listing of all-time female singers.
In my opinion, somebody who is just starting out cannot already be ahead of someone who has had a fantastic career, like Linda Ronstadt. Ella Fitzgerald thus far down the list is simply ridiculous. I love music and have intently adopted new and rising artists proper as much as the current. I have little doubt that Ella Fitzgerald nonetheless remains the greatest feminine vocalist of all time. She had close to excellent phrasing, pich and clarity and an uncanny capacity to make each song she sang come alive with pure emotion and feeling. There may be some female vocalists who will come near her but none will ever surpass her as a result of she was as near good as it is potential to be. Amy was the greatest voice of this time.
This girl has a tremendous voice and her vary is incredible. She may be very talented and a good role mannequin. The Fame , The Fame Monster , and Artpop , and the cheek to cheek period. Amazing and much beyond the cliché of a Mainstream Pop singer.
Tina Turner is such an interesting meld of styles. In nearly anything she sings she sings with a bluesy tinge, the power and sexual fireplace that might stand up to any male rocker, all quickflirt com review the whereas she sings with the conviction of a church lady gone unhealthy. Her voice, expressive and passionate, she is kind of presumably one of the most versatile singers to ever set foot on stage.
CT ruffles feathers that are tribal online loan ban that is payday at January 16, 2021
Fast loans that are payday Our team have been really benefiting from task that is questionable at January 16, 2021


Injury plagued Magic fall to Clippers
By | FoxSports
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Lou Williams scored 31 points, DeAndre Jordan had 16 points and 20 rebounds and the Los Angeles Clippers opened a four-game road trip with a 106-95 victory over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday night.
The Clippers shot 54 percent in the second half to win their third straight in a matchup of injury-riddled teams.
Jonathon Simmons scored 20 points for the Magic, who have lost 14 of 17. Mario Hezonja added 17 points and nine rebounds in his second start of the season.
Making only eight of their first 30 shots, the Clippers fell behind by 12 points midway through the second quarter. But Williams connected on three 3-pointers and Austin Rivers added one during a 14-0 run, and the Clippers (11-15) finished the first half by outscoring the Magic 24-7 to take a 45-40 lead.
Nikola Vucevic hit a mid-range jumper to put the Magic (11-18) up 55-54 midway through the third quarter, but Williams answered quickly with a basket to regain the lead for the Clippers permanently.
The shooting of Williams and Sam Dekker, both of whom came off the bench, helped the Clippers expand their lead to 16 points in the final minutes.
Dekker finished with 12 points and Williams had eight assists.
Rivers left the game in the final seconds of the first half after running into the elbow of Simmons, and did not return.
Clippers: F Danilo Gallinari is not on the road trip due to a left glute contusion. … F Blake Griffin missed his seventh straight game with a left MCL strain.
Magic: With F Aaron Gordon (concussion) and G Arron Afflalo (back spasms) out, the active roster included four players from the G League's Lakeland Magic. One was rookie F Wes Iwundu, who made his first NBA start. … Rookie F Jonathan Isaac hopes to return to practice Thursday after missing 17 games with a sprained right ankle.
Clippers: Visit Washington on Friday.
Magic: Hosts Portland on Friday.


My Ox Is Broken
Reality TV News and Reviews
Ox Notes: January 20, 2009
Zap2It has a list of Inauguration Day events on TV, including a full night of coverage on ABC.
In other political news, Cindy McCain has been approached to compete on Dancing with the Stars 8.
FOX announced its plans for next season, while SciFi announced its plans for spring, including a two-hour Battlestar: Galactica series finale on March 20.
Variety's Brian Lowry writes that TV movies are making a minor comeback, thanks to cable networks like SciFi and Lifetime.
Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner finally signed a contract with AMC, which includes two more seasons of his hit show.
Rob Thomas said that his next writing project is a script for a Veronica Mars feature film.
If you're brave (or desperate) enough, you can enter a contest to let MySpace users plan your wedding.
Check out the Shaolin monks' performance from last night's episode of Superstars of Dance:
This entry was posted in Reality TV and tagged dancing with the stars, dwts on January 20, 2009 by Kathy.
← Ox Notes: January 15, 2009 Ox Notes: January 21, 2009 →
MOIB's New Home
Time for an Amazing Race Makeover
Ox Notes: March 4, 2010
Dancing with the Stars 10 Cast Announcement
Ox Notes: February 25, 2010


Q&A with Hanya Yanagihara
With the 2016 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist on the horizon, we sat down with Hanya Yanagihara, author of longlisted novel A Little Life, to talk about the process of writing her dark second book and how visual artists inspire her fiction.
A Little Life is often unflinchingly dark – was it difficult for you to consistently occupy this mental space during the 18 months it took you to write the book?
No, not really. There were passages that were more challenging than others to write, but overall, the experience was — while exhausting — also oddly joyful. There were great periods in the writing of this book when it felt that it was appearing to me in large, whole sections, and my job was to transcribe those sections. All writers know how rare this sensation is, and how, when you are lucky enough to experience it, you daren't do anything to disturb it. Also, I had a job to go to, which knocked me out of the life of this book for at least nine hours a day, and which was a necessary reprieve. What I didn't expect was the after-effect, which has been much longer and more difficult than I'd anticipated.
Your second novel is extremely different in tone from your first – was this an intentional departure?
Yes. I admire authors whose every novel answers a single question or theme, but who do so in wildly different ways. I deliberately chose a different kind of style, something much more plainspoken and stripped-down than in my first book, and chose to write in what I call an intimate third-person omniscience, which I'd never tried before.
In many ways your book elevates friendship above romance – is this something you feel strongly about?
I don't think it elevates friendship above all other types of relationships, but I hope it does make a compelling argument that friendship is a much more elemental, more necessary, and more sustaining relationship than we give it credit for being. The first friend we choose is our first announcement to the world of selfhood: This is my person, this is what it says about me.
The characters in the novel are so sharply drawn – are they inspired by real people in your life?
Thank you, but no. Of course, every author borrows from the people in her life — and every character borrows from the author herself — but there was very little conscious appropriating for this book. What I hope IS apparent on the page is how much I enjoyed creating them, how well I knew them, and how much I enjoyed spending time with them — all of them.
Are there any authors' work which particularly influenced you when you wrote A Little Life?
No, not directly. I was much more influenced by different visual artists — Ryan McGinley, Felix Cid, Geoffrey Chadsey, Diane Arbus, Peter Hujar, Michael Borremans, Jan de Maesschalck, Todd Hido, Alec Soth, David Armstrong, Nicholas Nixon, and Nan Goldin among them — whose various works I turned to frequently.
Find out more about our 2016 longlist here. Stay in the loop with this year's Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
A Q&A with Kate Atkinson
A Q&A with Julia Rochester


Leave your comment and you will be answered
Download Opera browser latest version for pc 2019
Home internet browsers
download opera browser direct link
Opera Browser is a browser that has admired millions of computer users around the world for its high speed in opening different websites as it is compatible with many computer operating systems and security, the browser is a strong competitor to many popular browsers such as the Air browser Chrome gel and Firefox etc, developers of the program constantly update the software and solve the problems facing older versions, the browser helps you to open a lot of web pages simultaneously without significant impact on processor resources, free opera browser without any fees which helped to spread Browser all over the world, the browser provides browsing and security remote from complications as it prevents pop-up advertisements and annoying, keeps the browser on your privacy and prevents anyone from accessing your important data or personal and bank information as it keeps the computer from viruses and sites That may harm your computer as it blocks harmful websites and prevents access to it.
The browser is given alerts in the case of receiving new messages on the e-mail, the files are loaded at high speed and you can upload the files in the background even if the site pages are closed, the browser is multilingual and supports the Arabic language, which helped spread the world in a short time, Quickly to pages and sites that are visited continuously, where these sites appear when you open a new tab, you can add a lot of tools to the browser, making it easier to use and increase the functions of such as adding a reader PDF files, which helps you to open PDF pages and messages For PDFs received by e-mail, the browser automatically corrects misspellings while typing, saving lots of time and effort.
The most prominent features of Opera Browser:
Easy to control browser settings to increase privacy by deleting browsing data, sites visited, passwords and emails entered into different sites to prevent hackers from accessing them.
Easy access to your friends and acquaintances by opening all social networking sites to chat and share photos, videos and audio tracks.
The program interface is simple and includes a task bar that contains all the tools that help you to make a smooth and wonderful browsing and also includes a search box that lets you write what you are looking for inside and then press the button to access the web pages you are looking for as the interface shows the sites you visit Such as Facebook, Twitter and others.
Easy to watch high-quality videos from social media sites and websites specializing in videos such as YouTube and others.
Save your passwords, emails and login names, making it easy for you to access websites and save a lot of time and effort.
Easy to save and store visited sites for easy access again.
The browser does not consume a lot of processor resources by blocking the emitted ads, maintaining the battery life and not causing the computer to reboot.
Work on a lot of different operating systems such as Windows, Mac, Linux and others and also supports the work on the Android system to work on all kinds of smart phones from Sony, Samsung and Huawei and others, which helps you to browse and access your e-mail from any device you use, whether mobile or tablet or Computer or laptop.
Information about Opera Browser version 2019
Software version: Opera Browser 60.0 Build 3255.70
Date of issue: April 2019
Developer: Opera Software
The official website of the browser
Software Size: 51.9 MB
Language of the program: Supports many languages
Operating requirements: Windows XP, 10,8,7
Download Opera Browser for free 64 bit and 32 bit:-
Bit 64
Download SRWare Iron 2019 Browser for PC
Download Maxthon Internet Browser Direct Link 2019
Share article ►      


Can Insurance Companies Incentivize Their Customers to Be Healthier?
Adrian Gore
Peter Harmer
Marc W. Pfitzer
Nina Jais
Behavioral economists know well the power of instant gratification and over-optimism that too often lead to poor decisions — like reaching for an extra slice of cake or putting off the dreaded morning run. The behavioral biases play out in a simple paradox: People over-consume health care but under-consume prevention, and insurers or taxpayers are left with the bill. The same plays out with many lines of insurance, where the immediate benefits of poor choices outweigh the often-hidden cost of dealing with their consequences, such as reckless driving or failing to flood-proof infrastructure in highly exposed communities. Insurers have a unique opportunity to align their commercial interests with encouraging preventive behaviors. By employing a "shared value" model, insurers, along with public services, can directly "monetize" better individual behavior as healthier or safer individual outcomes, lower claims costs, and improve risk pools, which can be translated into lower-priced premiums and a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Behavioral economists know well the power of instant gratification and overoptimism that too often lead to poor decisions — like reaching for an extra slice of cake or putting off the dreaded morning run. The behavioral biases play out in a simple paradox: People overconsume health care but underconsume prevention, and insurers or taxpayers are left with the bill. The same plays out with many lines of insurance, where the immediate benefits of poor choices outweigh the often hidden cost of dealing with their consequences, such as reckless driving or failing to flood-proof infrastructure in highly exposed communities.
Of all industries, insurance has a unique opportunity to align its commercial interests with preventive behaviors. Insurers, along with public services, can directly "monetize" better individual behavior as healthier or safer individual outcomes, lower claims costs, and improve risk pools, which can be translated into lower-priced premiums and a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Insurance is therefore a natural shared value industry — one that can employ the idea proposed by Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter and Mark Kramer of FSG in 2011. This new research report highlights how insurers are applying the model.
What makes prevention today different from past efforts (e.g., fire prevention dating back centuries) is how it can be done. First, a wide range of new technologies and data analytics allow tracking who and what is changing, making it possible to establish individualized targets, remedies, and incentives. Second, a systems approach helps companies go beyond single interventions to engage the entire insurance value chain — including local businesses, communities, and government — in the pursuit of these prevention gains. Third, with measurement linking risk-reduction milestones to improved business results, customers can be rewarded dynamically, with behavior-based pricing that encourages positive behaviors and leads to a virtuous shared-value cycle between risk reduction and profit.
Consider the Vitality program developed by the South African insurance company Discovery over 25 years ago. Vitality provides people with incentives to improve their health through gym memberships, discounts on healthy foods, and other awards based on the achievement of personal health goals, and then rewards members dynamically through lowered annual premiums, free travel, and perks.
The result is a structural transformation of insurance. Additional economic value is unlocked, creating benefits for the member (more years of healthy life), the insurer (reduced claims over time), and society (healthier, more productive citizens). Vitality members generate up to 30% lower hospitalization costs and live from 13 to 21 years longer than the rest of the insured population (up to 41 years longer than comparable uninsured populations).
In addition to using this shared-value approach in its wholly owned South African and UK businesses, Discovery has established a global network of insurance partners that employ it, including John Hancock Financial (U.S.), Manulife (Canada), Generali (Europe), AIA (Asia Pacific), and Ping An (China). Altogether, the model is employed in 15 markets, impacting over 5.5 million people.
Other companies are applying similar models to other types of insurance. One example is IAG's comprehensive program in Australia to prevent car accidents. It is working with car manufacturers to improve vehicle security and safety standards and is offering customers reduced premiums for selecting safety features such as automatic emergency braking. IAG also uses its extensive geomapped motor vehicle claims data to identify dangerous crash zones, alerts customers when they are near these dangerous zones, and engages local governments to fix related infrastructure deficits. Pilot projects show that a single improved highway ramp can save lives and save IAG approximately $600,000 (AUD) per year.
Another example is Redwoods Group's program in the United States to help its 400 youth-serving customers protect children. It invests $3 million per year in consulting services that reduced drowning deaths and reported instances of child abuse by 85% and 65%, respectively, in less than 10 years. The reduction in drowning deaths alone saves the company $6 million in insurance claims per year. Redwoods underwrites $43 million in premiums per year in a market previously considered uninsurable and enjoys a 95% customer retention rate.
Such examples are featured in FSG's new research on shared value in the insurance sector, along with efforts by sector leaders to reach more underserved customers with insurance and better leverage their asset management side to create the context for prevention. Insurers that incorporate society's needs into their strategies, building on existing and new capabilities, are finding lasting competitive advantage. Both today and in the future, creating shared value is an imperative for insurers that aim to grow profitably and sincerely want to provide risk protection and prevention to customers.
Adrian Gore is the founder and CEO of Discovery Limited.
Peter Harmer is managing director and CEO of IAG.
Marc W. Pfitzer is a managing director at FSG, a global social-impact consulting firm.
Nina Jais is an associate director at FSG, a global social-impact consulting firm.
This article is about SHARED VALUE